Thoughts of a Lost Princess
by Calliope Phantom
Summary: The witch controlled her actions. But not her thoughts. Azkadellia's thoughts during the search for the emerald and the finding of her sister. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

Note: the italics are both the witch's and Azkadellia's thoughts. The story will tell you who is saying what.

* * *

The witch was waiting impatiently for General Lanot. She was so close to the emerald she could almost taste it. I was feeling some of it as well. I wasn't sure what were my own feelings anymore. The witch is angry all the time. She never feels anything else.

The General walked in with Zero and a few other of the long coats. Her general stood there with his hands behind his back, his face was stern but he held an air of fear.

"You made me a promise," the sorceress said.

"I'm sorry sorceress. Unfortunately there were complications with the resistant spies in the north," he said somewhat confidently.

The witch's face went stolid. She was so unpleased! Her anger is like fire in my head.

"A slight… delay sorceress. That's all," The general said feeling the seeping anger from the dark sorceress.

She walked slowly towards him. He swallowed hard. "The emerald Lanot… Where's my emerald," she asked in an even voice.

"We will double our efforts close the vice even tighter," he swallowed again. "All I need is a little more time."

"There is no more time," some of her anger was seeping into her voice. "In seven days the double eclipse will darken our skies. If I don't have the _emerald_ by then everything I have worked so hard for. All of this," she gestured with a turn of her head. "Will be lost."

"We will have it by then. I give you my word," he promised.

She turned in annoyance. Then we could hear whispers. The sorceress looked around somewhat frightened. She swallowed nervously. I felt it too. Something… was coming.

"Something wrong sorceress," Zero asked.

"Lylo… I need to see Lylo," she said.

She walked past General Lanot and his long coats and headed down to the dungeons. _No one will take my kingdom from me._

_It's not your kingdom, I told her. _

_Be quiet_, the witch put a wall between her and I. I winced in pain.

Raynz was waiting for the sorceress at the entrance to Lylo's cell. The door creaked up and the dark woman looked down at the creature. He pushed himself as far as he could into the corner. His whimpers echoed slightly.

Long coats grabbed his arms and pulled him out towards the mind reading room. Raynz sat him in the chair and hooked the cords to his head and locked his wrists in place. Lylo whimpered again knowing the pain was going to come soon.

My heart ached seeing the poor creature like this. He did not deserve it. I tried to shy away from it.

"Peer into the future," she whispered to him. "Tell me if there's anything that will hinder my plans."

"I-it hurts Lylo to look," the viewer stuttered.

Raynz look the prod and put it in Lylo's face. "It will hurt more if you don't."

_Stop!_ I tried to yell at him. Of all of her vile, little pests… I _hate him_ the most.

Lylo clamped his eyes shut and looked the future. Pain was evident on his face. The dark sorceress looked over to the bubbling tank of water and saw a picture form.

"Those who resist you… Will continued to be conquered," he said.

"The emerald, Lylo. Will I find it in time," she asked.

Lylo's breath came in short heavy gasps. Then he gasped in pain. And his head jerked back.

The emerald formed in the tank. It was so bright. The sorceresses' mouth dropped open slightly as she walked to the tank. Her future was there, in front of her. Oh! It is so beautiful. I tried to move my hand to touch the glass and found the witch in agreement with my thoughts.

"Where is it," she asked almost desperately. She went to the tank staring at the image of it as if she could put her hand in and pull it out. _Yes! It's so close! No! You do not want it._ I told myself. _Don't let her influence you_, I tried to tell myself.

"Lylo knows not… But before the eclipse in your hand it will be. It will be!"

"Do you see anything that will stand in my way?"

The emerald disappeared and the witches' anger seeped back in through her slight happiness. "Lylo see nothing… But…" he didn't finish his sentence.

The sorceress head rose slowly as she heard the pause in his words. She turned menacingly. "But," she said the word hatefully. "What?"

"Lylo feels…" happiness was in his voice. "A presence… A glimmer of light in the darkness! A glimmer of light from the other side."

A house formed in the water. "The other side," she said questioningly.

"General Lanot," she turned to him. "Awaken a travel storm. Take a small company of men and just slip through to the other side. Find this light. And extinguish it!"

The general nodded and left with Zero. We both had a curiosity of who this—_light--_ was.

"Return Lylo to his cage," the sorceress said with a flick of her hand.

She walked out of the room and up towards her private quarters. As she walked past the few windows that led to her room she looked at me in our reflection.

"The OZ is almost ours," she said in her scratchy voice.

I didn't reply. I looked down at the floor. She stopped walking to look at me in our reflection.

"Why are you acting this way," she said with my voice in a childlike tone. I almost believed her. Almost agreed with her. Almost. "Did you forget what I've done for you?" she said returning to her own voice. "I have made you empress of the OZ! And nothing is standing in our way. You should be happy."

She continued back to her room. I felt like a little girl again. I wanted my mothers arms around me, protecting me.

_She hates you! Remember?_

_No_, I told her. _She hates you!_

I could feel her jaw tighten in frustration. She opened the door to her room and locked it behind her. She walked to the mirror.

"I think you need to reflect on your thoughts, princess," she shoved me back into the recess of our mind and locked me in a cell.

_NO!_ I yelled at her throwing myself against the wall of my prison. _NO!_ I leaned against the wall tears pricking my eyes. I couldn't even remember what that felt like. Tears. I sat on the floor pulling my knees to my chest. _I'm never going to get out of here._


	2. Chapter 2

When the witch had let her guard down I came onto her full force. I kept talking to her discouraging her. This was the only way I could try to regain my body back. She was so weak when she wasn't using her magic. When she wasn't angry.

She sat in front of the fire awaiting word from General Lanot. _Here's my chance!_

"Stop your worrying," she told me. "Of course the people of the OZ were taken care of!"

"I never said that! You did! You did that," I said back. It was nice to be able to use my body.

"Don't say that!" she said.

"Sorceress!"

She turned her head and stood hoping that they did not hear our little… _conversation_. _I was so close! _

"Report!"

The long coats traveled down to the machine telling the sorceress of their exploration.

"The source of the light was a girl of 20 annuals," Lanot said.

"A girl?" she wondered. "Bring her to me."

The general hesitated. "Unfortunately there were problems," he said.

"Last time complications this time… problems," she questioned the general with venom.

"She disappeared into the storm along with her parents."

The witch stopped suddenly and turned to face him. The look in her eyes was enough to make all of the color drain from his face. I could feel her intentions. _No! Please don't!_

_Keep quiet!_ She replied.

"Your storm? Are you saying that they could be here, other-siders in the outer zone?"

"I am sorry… sorceress," he said genuinely.

_Stop!_ I yelled at her. She ignored me and gave the general a slight, unnerving smile.

"It's ok. You did your best," she said in a childlike tone.

She stepped closer to him. As she began to raise her hand I pulled it down with all my might. But she was so much stronger than me. _This is for the better_, she told me. _You should know this by now._

I let her go and she raised her hand to his mouth. She pulled his soul out through his mouth and into ours. I could feel our power growing. It was so strong… So tempting. _Don't get pulled into it, _I tried to tell myself. But I could already feel myself and myself alone becoming two people. One part of me was on the side of the witch that lived in my body and the then there was the good that was instilled in me by my mother.

Together we sighed in contentment at the new addition to our power. We smiled at the magic surging through our body. Adrenaline ran thorough our veins. I felt excited. We walked to the railing to calm our booming heart.

"Zero. You've just been promoted," we said with a sigh.

He smiled devilishly and nodded.

"If this girl is in the OZ... Find her," we spoke harshly.

We gave Zero one last look then left back to our room. As we got farther and farther up into the tower I lost any feeling from the new soul in our body. I could feel our actions… my actions seep into my thoughts. I let her kill him. Does it really matter? He was nothing except another no good waste of time.

I felt rage in my thoughts now. "When will you stop," I asked using my own voice.

"Remember who saved you when everyone else left you," she said in my voice as well.

"Not at the expense of others lives," I yelled.

"It's too late for that princess," she said.

I didn't speak to her again for a long while. She was right. I had let her kill so many innocent people. I had _LET_ her.

"You are not who you thought you were Azkadellia," she said the name as if it weren't the one she now went by.


	3. Chapter 3

I kept to myself for a long while, leaving the witch to her own thoughts. She was content in thinking of places where the emerald might be and the people who might know where they are. Her thoughts immediately went to my mother. This brought me out of my own thoughts.

_Leave my mother out of this!_

_She's the only one who would know where it is. You know that as well as I. Stop protecting her._

_I hate you!_

She just smiled to herself.

"Sorceress," a voice called to her. Zero walked through the door. He didn't speak, he jut handed a locket to the sorceress.

She lifted an eyebrow.

"It came from the young woman. The other-sider," he said with a smile.

Her gaze shifted from Zero to the locket. It was silver with a flowery design on the locket. She placed it under her nose and breathed in closing her eyes.

"Do you know who she is," Zero asked.

She looked at the locket, "I will."

She already had a guess. She sent Zero out to search for the other-siders and left for the dungeon. She walked fast each step hitting the ground with a clack then thump.

_It can't be possible! No! It's not her. She's dead._ And with that she dismissed the very feeling that it could be… _her._

I wasn't quite sure whom she was talking about. She kept her thoughts behind a heavy thick brick wall that I couldn't get passed.

The sorceress called for Raynz. He went to get Lylo. She had to know. And only Lylo could tell her. Raynz strapped Lylo down. He whimpered.

She dropped the locket into his hand. He watched it fall then gave it a once over. Closing his eyes, he searched for the owner of the locket. "She searches through the east."

"For what," the dark woman asked in a monotone.

Lylo paused and his eyebrows furrowed together in curiosity. "Love… For those she loves."

In the tank of water there was an image of a young woman and an older woman and man. "C'mon DG! You have to go! The long coats are after you!" the man in the tank said.

"DG?" she questioned. I could feel the fright in her muscles and in her eyes.

_DG?! My sister? But, I thought she died. She… She's here!_

_NO! She's dead!_ The witch yelled.

"Get a shovel, " she said sternly.

She had her a servant get her horse prepared for the journey to the cemetery as she went to change into an easier riding outfit. The witch did not let me get near her thoughts and I did not try. I only hoped that somehow my baby sister was alive.

Along with Zero and a small group of men they rode down to the cemetery near central city. The sorceress sat high on her black stallion. Her jaw was set in a tight line and she held herself straight up.

When the cemetery came into view she urged the horse faster and found her little sisters grave.

"Dig here," she called to the long coats.

She was not patient. She paced back and forth dictating that the men must dig faster. Then after what seemed a century to the dark sorceress the men pulled out a small marble coffin. The witch got closer and looked in as the men pulled the dense top off.

She saw the coffin empty and took a sharp breath in and looked up at the sky. Her jaw clenched together. Her wrath came through my head like a wave. It was as if we were both real and in the same body. She grabbed my throat and slammed me into the wall. I choked and scratched at her hand. _Time to talk to mother._

The sorceress and her company rode hard back to the castle. She dismounted and walked fast up to her mothers' globe prison. She opened the cage and clapped herself onto the little hell of an island she had put my mother on.

"You lied to me," she menacingly walking up to the former queen of the OZ. "She's alive! How could you do such a terrible thing? Well it won't work you know. She's still just a child!"

"She here isn't she? In the OZ?" mother said in her sweet voice. I tried to reach out to her to tell her that I miss her and that I would release her. But the witch held me in a vice grip.

The witch stopped pacing. "Tripping over her pigtails as she walks in circles."

"Oh! Thank the stars," mother breathed.

"What else do you have planned," she spat at her.

"Nothing… I-" she spoke truthfully in a low voice. "There is no plan."

She sighed in frustration and turned away from the older woman. Mother looked at the back of the sorceress frightened.

"My prison is obviously a little too comfortable for you," the sorceress said. And with a snap of her fingers it began to rain heavily.

The witch pleased with her addition to mothers cage turned to face her. My mother stood in the cold rain with her arms wrapped tightly around her. She shivered and her teeth clattered together.

_Reverse the spell_, I barked at her.

_You're in no position to be giving orders_, she replied squeezing the grip she had on me. She gave my mother one last look and clapped herself out of the island prison. Standing safely outside of the prison she closed the door and smiled.

Zero waited for her. "I'll send out my best spies."

"No!" Zero stopped. "I'll send out mine."

She walked to the closest balcony and concentrated on freeing Zora. The flying monkey flowed freely from our chest and sat on the balcony. I had grown a little fond of the creature in these past—how long has it been? 15 annuals? —although I knew I shouldn't have.

"Hello Zora," we said petting her head gently. "Try to find any other-siders."

The flying monkey cooed softly and nodded. Her wings spread and she took off toward the east.

"She'll find her," the sorceress said to me. "And when she finds her we'll bring her here. I'm sure you can… _sway _her. After all you're sisters."

"I'll do my best," I replied.

We stared at the fleeing shadow of Zora until we could no longer see her. "I think we need to pay mother another visit," she told me.

She walked quickly back to her round prison and opened the door. She clapped and was back on the lone island. With a snap of her fingers the rain stopped and mother shivered slightly. There was close to no hope on my mothers face, she held nothing on her features.

"How much does she know," the witch asked. Her jaw was tight with rage when mother did not answer. "It doesn't have to be like this for either of you, you know. I mean we could all be friends."

The dark woman allowed me to creep a little into her voice. For a moment we almost sounded genuine. Mother snorted slightly, "How?"

"Big changes are planned. You could play an important part in the future of the OZ. Or you could be a verse in a song," she voiced her challenge subtly. "It's your choice."

Mother's breath came in short gasps. I could see how weak she was. My heart twisted for a second. _Oh mother._ The witch clapped us out of the prison before I could have another thought.

"Sorceress," a voice came from the door as she closed the door to the prison.

"What," she asked with annoyance.

"We have found the girls' parents."

"Bring them to me," she said.

She moved down two floors to her green marble office and sat at the desk in the room and made herself comfortable. Long coats brought two human robots into the room, a man and a woman. The sorceress allowed herself a little laugh. _Your mother sent care units to protect DG. How amusing._

"So these are DG's parents. Where's your darling girl," she asked with a sisterly tone.

The couple stood there and said nothing. The sorceress could see the fear in their eyes and the way they held themselves.

Her voice returned to a normal monotone, "You ran the corrosion virus on their CPUs?"

"They told us everything and don't even remember. Apparently the girl went to retrieve a message. Held by the Mystic Man," her servant told her.

"My god. The little bitch has gone to see the wizard," she said. "Get a message to Zero. Tell him that she's gone to see the Mystic Man."

Her servant nodded, "What would you like me to do with the robots?"

"Take them to the dungeon. I'll have use for them later," she said with a wave of her hand.

The servant had long coats take them away and they left the sorceress. _What do you plan to do with them_, I asked.

_They're going to convince the little girl that the OZ was just a dream._

_She's smarter then that_, I murmured.

_How would you know? You had better tell me anything you know princess. Or I can search through your memories and tear your mind apart until there is nothing left!_

_Then have at it witch!_

She did nothing. She needed me more than she truly knew. What kind of a show could she put up without my memories?

The witch pulled out of her mind and stared into space. Her eyes drooped heavily._ Can't remember the last time you slept_, I asked her. She didn't answer my remark; she looked around the room as if she didn't know where she was.

When she finally fell asleep I allowed myself to relax. It wouldn't be long before my nightmares would occur then hers. And then we would both be fighting for dominance over the body. I would need all of my strength for that.

"Sorceress," a voice whispered.

The dark woman's eyes opened instantly and she looked at the source of the voice. It was her servant. "Zero and his men are here. They have news of the girl."

"Let them in," she said her body now fully alert.

The loud clunk of the long coats boots echoed in the marble room. Three men stood to each side of Zero. The witch looked at Zero.

"Report."

"We found the girl with the Mystic Man. But she eluded us," Zero said.

"How is it? That a _young, UNARMED_ girl in a party dress eludes the toughest division in my army," she said venomously. I smiled inwardly at his loss of getting my sister.

Zero looked down fearing to meet the sorceress gaze. "She wasn't alone," he finally said looking up. "She was helped by… Wyatt Cain. One of the Mystic Man's Tin men."

Ignoring Zero she gestured, "Bring him in."

Zero frustratingly looked down then snapped his fingers. The men at his sides took three steps back to make room for the ill Mystic Man; the witch's servant rolled him in on a wheel chair. The Mystic Man was looking down at his fingernails, bored.

"Well. If it isn't the great and terrible blah blah blah himself," the witch said somewhat pleasantly. She stood and strode to the front of her desk. "What are you up to old man? Huh?"

"One little scent… A little whiff," he said. He was acting?

"No. You don't fool me."

"Please…please… please," he begged. His head rolled back as he began to laugh.

The sorceress leaned in closely, "Why did she come to see you? Hmm? What did you give her?"

He didn't answer just lolled his head to the other side and smiled. Her jaw clicked together. _I try to be fair._

"Hook him up," she said angrily.

They rolled the Mystic Man down towards the reading room. Raynz was already prepared and had Lylo hooked to the machine already.

"Tell me what he told DG," the sorceress ordered.

Lylo touched the Mystic Man's arm and was flung into a chaotic world. _Lylo won't be able to take it. You gave the Mystic Man too many vapors._

_Stay quiet! Lylo will tell me or he will die. I have another viewer ready to take his place._

"The microcosm is expanded my a single bead of sweat. Dropped on the pin head and spun into a million universes until it is converted to the elixir of the Gods," The Mystic Man said in a haze.

"He is masking," Raynz yelled through his jabbering.

"Lylo see too much," Lylo gaped his head rearing back in pain.

"Then! And only then," The Mystic Man continued. "Can longing--Great and passionate longing--reach fulfillment. Like fingers extended to the stars. In the seen and unseen darkness…"

"Lylo see too much," Lylo repeated.

"Focus! Lylo. Do not let him sway you," the witch said evenly.

"Becomes merely a flicker in the light of the storm! A glimpse of heaven. Fierce and beautiful and—" his words were cut off by the pain of electricity surging through his body.

The sorceress looked down at Raynz's action with an unpleasant gaze. _Crazy old fool! Those vapors have torn his mind to shreds._

"Pain," Lylo gasped.

"Where is she," the sorceress asked.

"So much pain," Lylo said again.

"Move beyond the pain." In the tank of water there was a glacier that tipped at the top. _No,_ we both gasped in unison. The witch stepped closer to the tank just to be sure.

"The Northern Island," we said together. "She's going to see mummy."


	4. Chapter 4

_It's been a long time since I've been there._

_Why would you want to be there? It's cold. And all the memories we have of that wasteland are terrible._

_OUR memories. But MINE weren't. Oh DG…_ My mind went to all of the times we spent in the forest. And when I helped her with her magic. The look on her face! She was so excited.

_Stop your nonsense._

"Zero! Gather your best men and get the hovering machine ready. I do not know how much time we have. Hurry," she spoke.

Zero walked off. "Put this," she gestured to the Mystic Man, "in a cell. And return Lylo to his."

She walked out of the room without another word. Outside Zero had the nifty little hovercraft ready for her. She stepped on and looked forward waiting. My own thoughts were racing. I get to see her! I get to see my sister. I have been waiting so long. But… I can't help the witch. _I refuse!_

The witch chuckled. _You have no choice. I can always kill DG._

_No you can't_, I exclaimed. _You feel for her just as much as I do._

The sorceress said no more. We had already arrived at the Northern Island. She stepped out into the snow with a shiver. At the entrance to the giant glacier there was a hole and you could see the door to the ancient house. We could both sense DG before we stepped over the threshold.

"Follow me," we said to the long coats behind us. DG was in her old bedroom. On the mirror there was an old memory. When the witch killed DG.

"Mother never could leave well enough alone," the witch said. We both looked at DG and smiled inwardly but for different reasons. She wanted what she knew I wanted to hold DG's hand.

_DG! _I could feel my body start to move. I had control. Even the witch was astonished at seeing the older princess. _You're so beautiful. DG. Please it's me. Azkadellia. _I could hardly breath.

_Shut up! _I could feel her being to grip my throat.

"Azkadellia," Glitch breathed.

The Tin mans gun was taken and Zero now held it and smiled another one of his devilish smiles. DG's eyes were on her…me. I wasn't sure. Did she see me? Or did she see the monster that possessed me.

"You're my sister," Dg said astonished.

We stepped closer. "DG. The little sister I thought I no longer had. I've always wondered what you look like," the last sentence was mine. She was different then I would have pictured her.

"Leave her alone," the half brained man stepped forward.

"What do you want," DG asked putting her hands in her pockets her lips pursed.

"Well up until a moment ago I wanted you death," the witch spoke now, "but now it seems you have something I need."

DG cocked her head slightly. "What?"

"The emerald," the witch scoffed. "You know where it is."

DG's eyebrows furrowed together. She looked to her companions. She shook her head.

"Don't tell me you haven't dreamed of it. Heard it calling to you. Begging to be found from its dark hiding place," I could feel my voice somewhat. The emerald had slipped into my mind.

"No I haven't," DG said matter of factly.

"No," the witch cooed.

"No," DG said. I could tell that she was uncomfortable under this evil woman's gaze. I focused on showing myself through her eyes, to reassure DG I was still here.

"What did she whisper in your ear," she asked annoyingly.

"I don't remember," DG said truthfully. _Don't tell her DG!_

"Ah. That's a shame," the witch said turning back to the long coats.

"How can I tell you something I don't know," DG said standing up to the sorceress.

The sorceress turned sharply and put her hands together pulling a box from thin air. It showed a picture of our mother in her prison. _How dare you!_

_She'll cooperate if she knows she can see mummy. _

DG stepped back then looked at the object in her hand. "DG," a voice cried. "DG where are you?"

"Mother," DG questioned leaning closer to the box.

The witch tossed it to her. _Take it_, the witch whispered in our head. "DG where are you," the former queen of the OZ cried before she disappeared.

"What have you done with her," DG ordered. Her eyes held the anger and protection a cub might have for its mother. _She's just like mother_, I chuckled.

"I've put her away for safe keeping," the sorceress said. "Like any good daughter would."

"Where," DG said in the same tone.

"Somewhere you will never find her," the witch chuckled.

DG held a wild glint in her eye. It was the same one she would get just before we'd go on one of her "adventures". _What are you going to do, _I wondered.

She smiled and threw the box onto the ground. The witch unprepared stepped back and coughed into the cloud of purple smoke. We both could hear their footsteps as they ran. She fell backwards but the long coats caught her and lead out of the door. She could see DG and her other two companions run down the stairs. The long coats were running after them.

"Wait!" she called to them.

The witch walked to the railing and got in touch with her magic. She opened the top to the dress and exhaled allowing her pets to flow easily out of her chest. "Bring her to me," she ordered them.

I pushed and threw with all of my strength at the defenses the witch had built between us. I was determined to gain use of the body and call them back. Or at least give DG more time. The witch winced at the pain I caused her. _What are you doing? I won't hurt her! _She said wincing into the pain.

_You lie you bitch!_

_Calm yourself! This may be… Ah! Your chance to reu… reunite with your baby sister. _She spoke half stumbling through the pain.

_DO. NOT. HURT. HER_, I said furiously.

_I wouldn't dream of it._

Together we walked down the spiral staircase to see that our pets were almost upon DG's viewer. The guards followed closely behind me, but shied away if they were too close.

"DG!" the viewer called as our pets flew around him making sure he did not move but not hurting him either.

_Another viewer. How perfect._

We put our hands on our hips. "Bring him," she ordered to the long coats.

As the viewer was taken the rest of the monkeys went to chase after DG. She ran fast. But not fast enough. Zora flew in behind her and picked her up by her jacket. _Good girl_, we spoke. We tilted out head back pleased.

"Glitch," Dg she shrieked as they flew over his body. Zora dropped her right at our feet. She looked up at us with the same frightened look she had as a child.

"Welcome back little sister. There's no place like the OZ," we smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

"I guess I blew it," the male care unit said.

"It's ok popsicle. I know you tried your best," the witch said in a childish tone then put her hands in the air in an it's-okay gesture.

DG looked around in confusion. "That was all fake," she asked in wonder.

She gave the room another once over and lightly snorted. "You are twisted!"

"Why," the witch said angrily turning to face my sister. "Because with a little rewiring I've gotten something I've missed out on for too long."

_YOU missed out_, I made sure she knew that she spoke for herself. _I had wonderful parents before you._

_You had nothing before me_, she scoffed.

"Father's love. Mothers affection," the witch continued twirling the female units blonde hair.

"Where are my _real_ parents," DG ordered.

"Our parents," I added my hurt to the witch's voice. "Well… Daddy the thief abandon us after you 'died'. Mother never forgave him for that and had his name officially banished from the lands. Ever the drama queen."

"Where is she," DG ordered again.

The witch hesitated. "There came a time when she had to be… isolated," she said moving towards the tank of water. She flicked the wheel and there she appeared. The witch looked back jealous of DG. Jealous!? I laughed we both had something she missed out on. And she hated us for that.

"Mother," DG cried softly.

She continued to look DG over as she came closer to the tank. Her jealousy was growing. _Mother always loved her better_, the witch thought.

_She loved DG and I equally. She hates YOU!_ I egged the witch on. It really only provoked her envy.

"Let. Her. Go," DG ordered each word a sentence.

"That can be arranged," the sorceress offered. "But first you have to do something for me."

She turned the wheel again and the memory of what the Queen whispered in DG's ear. "There is one thing that can stop her. The emerald of the eclipse," the queen spoke before whispering into young DG's ear. "The secret of the emerald now lives inside you. When the time is right you will return."

"DG just tell me where the emerald is," the witch asked. _Help me!_

_I will not help you use my sister,_ I told her. She growled. "Just tell me what she whispered to you and I will take you to her. I promise."

"I don't remember. That was a long time ago," DG said.

"We can pry those memories out of her," Zero suggested.

_No we will not!_

_Help me and we won't have to_, the witch offered.

I swallowed then looked at my baby sister. _Fine._

"Zero she's my sister," I threw as much of myself into our voice as possible. We looked down; I put a frown on our face. "I guess I haven't really made this much of a family reunion have I?"

DG saw me. I could tell. "Well I wasn't expecting a picnic," Dg said sarcastically.

"I wanna show you something," our voice was almost just mine. "Share something with you."

I held out my arm. DG looked at it. She wasn't sure what to do I could tell so I took her arm and put both my hands on it. We began to walk out of the room towards the balcony. I didn't speak for a moment. I tried to gather my thoughts. What do I want to say to you, DG? Something that will help you know I'm still here. Something that will let you know that this front is the dark witch and not I.

"The majestic queen of the OZ had two lovely daughters she," I began. "The double eclipse it is foreseen/light meets dark in the stillness between/ but only one and one alone/shall hold the emerald and take the throne."

We walked to the railing and took in the fresh air with a sigh. There was a slight awkwardness. _C'mon DG._

"So," DG began. "What is that? The great anonyms prophecy of the OZ."

I chuckled at her sarcasm. "It's a nursery rhyme. A few couplets that roll pleasingly off the tongue. It's not who _we_ are DG."

DG smiled and took a step back. "You tried to kill me," she smiled. It quickly disappeared when she saw that this was no game.

Deep sadness from that day crossed my features. The witch joined me, "I was just a child. I foolishly believed the part about 'one and one alone'."

_Don't help me. You're making it worse. _I told the witch.

_She's drawn in. She won't notice a thing._ I growled at her.

"And you don't now," DG asked slowly her eyebrows furrowing together.

"No. I believe the prophecy can be what you and I make of it," the witch began to step forward and DG stepped back. "DG we were such good friends. We spent hours imaging what the OZ would be like when we grew up."

DG shook her head lightly. I knew she wasn't sure what to believe. But she could see that this was not the witch speaking. _DG. It's me. Please._

"Please you must remember that," I finished.

"We were friends," DG asked like it was unbelievable.

I smiled. _She can see me!_ I turned back to the railing. "We'd explore the woods. Gather apples. Skip little stones across the lake. We made mother crazy with worry."

"Apples," DG said. "No. I'm not buying what you're doing with this whole keys-to-the-kingdom crap."

The witch's anger flared. Now she spoke over me. "I'm not doing anything," she said in a fake tone of denial. "I just want what the prophecy can bring to both of us. It's out birthright. Our chance to make a new OZ…. Just tell me where it is."

"I don't remember," DG said the truth in her eyes.

"DG," I cried without the witch. _Please. You promised me._ I told the witch.

_I lied_ was all she said in turn.

"My lovely little sister," I said touching a lock of her hair. The witch took over now, "That was the wrong answer."

She snapped her fingers and the long coats hiding in the shadows came up behind DG. "Now we do it your way," the witch said.

"I'll take her for a reading with Lylo," Zero said taking DG's arm.

DG looked at the witch wondering—I could tell—what happened to me. The witch thrust me back into the cell she had me in before.

"If you remember nothing remember this: the next time I snuff out your insignificant little life, there will be no one there to save you."

The sorceress watched as DG was taken away. _You are weak,_ she told me. Then the contact between us was lost. She followed Zero and his long coats down to the dungeon. When she arrived Lylo was already hooked up and attached to DG. This was the hardest I had ever seen him try to read someone. My heart felt for him.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop," DG was yelling at Raynz and the witch. The witch leaned closely to Lylo and urged him to look harder. Sweat beaded on Lylo's forehead.

"Please! Stop! Stop!" DG cried. "Please! Stop!"

"A whisper Lylo. All I'm looking for is a secret whisper to a little girl," the witch yelled at Lylo.

"Lylo can't find," the viewer cried loudly. Raynz not taking no for an answer gave him an electric shock from the prod. He screamed in pain. "Something's protecting her memories!"

"Break through! NOW!"

"Lylo trying!"

"Don't try! DO!"

"How can he remember if _I_ can't," Dg cried. Tears were streaming down her face. I wished I could touch her cheek comfort her. Now, I couldn't even say something. The witch ignored DG's comment.

"What did mother whisper in DG's ear about the emerald," the witch ordered as she paced around the viewer.

"Emerald! Emerald only thing can stop Azkadellia," Lylo said repeating some of the queen's words.

"Focus Lylo! Where is it," she screamed at him. Raynz stabbed him with the prod again leaving it against his skin longer. He shrieked.

"All is gray!! The emerald! In the Gray Gale," he stuttered through the pain.

"Gray Gale? What is the Gray Gale," the sorceress asked looking into the tank. Raynz poked him with the prod again.

The sorceress eyes darted back and forth over the scene of mother and DG. She growled in frustration. "Where is it," she ordered.

"Hurts to reach into… into her memories… memories surrounded by… by magic," he said gasping. Then his eyes were blank and his body went limp.

"Lylo," DG cried. "Lylo!" She looked at the sorceress and shook her head back and forth. The witch didn't even notice.

"Magic. I don't have to guess who's responsible for that do I?" Her jaw tightened in her rage and her upper lip twitched barely. "Take her to the dungeon."

The witch went up to the globe prison and quickly clapped herself onto the island. Mother stood in the very middle of the island we appeared before her. "Mother," the witch sighed. "More secrets."

The former queen of the OZ looked at the witch. _I am not your mother_, I could hear her saying in my head. She said nothing. "You've cloaked DG's memories with your magic."

"You're the one that forced secrets into our lives," my mother said turning her gaze from the sorceress.

"Well you did your work a little too well. All traces of the Gray Gale… gone," the witch bluffed.

Mother gasped before she could catch herself. _Mother she's lying. _She looked over at the witch in question. _I guess she didn't think the witch would ever know about the Gray Gale._ "She'll never remember now. Are you surprised I know about the Gray Gale?"

"What do you know," the queen said smugly.

_Help me_, the witch asked. _And I'll let you out of your cage._ I agreed and she let me out. I used all of my strength to get my mother to see I was in here as well. Sadness spread over our face. Mother couldn't tell whether it was the witch or I.

"Learn to love me mother," we said lovingly. "Learn to trust me and I will give you back your thrown, put the crown upon your head and kneel at your feet. The loyal daughter you always dreamed of."

Mother saw me for a second before she saw nothing. "You are not my daughter."

Her remark felt like a slap to me. _Does she really think I'm not here anymore?_ She turned away from the witch. I could feel my own fury building. _Focus_, the witch told me.

"How can you say such a thing," I threw all of my feelings into the single sentence. "You made me who I am."

"No!"

"Tell me where the emerald is," we ordered.

"Not while there is still a breath in my body," she said confidently. We clapped ourselves out of there. The sound of thunder the only thing left behind. The prison door shut with a clank. _Your mother doesn't even know you exist._

_I know._

Zero was waiting by the door. "Did you have the bugs planted," we asked as she headed toward her personal office.

"Yes. And we put her in the cell right next to the Mystic Man," he said proudly.

"Good. Find whatever you can on the Gray Gale. History books, nursery rhymes I don't care. Go," we ordered. We entered the room and sat stiffly in the chair waiting to hear anything of use from DG or the old man.

"I have a theory. Which can't be unproven," the Mystic Man spoke.

"Mystic Man? You're alive," Dg said.

"It is called the Or Not Theory, he said.

"Oh! I have so much to tell you," DG said.

"Ahhh!" the Mystic Man groaned. "You know they wouldn't put you in a cell near mine unless they wanted to hear us talk."

"She's… She's listening," DG whispered.

"First! You must journey to the north. Or not."

"Yes. I journeyed to the north. And I went to the ice palace and I know who my mother is… Are you sure you're still not on the vapors?"

"I've never been clearer in my whole life. It's all coming back to me! A troubled childhood. A rich life of scholarly pursuit. My brief, but GLARMOROUS life in the show business although that part is a little but hazy…" There was a long pause before someone spoke again.

"Did you feel that," The Mystic Man asked.

"Yeah."

"They're testing the machine."

"What sort of machine."

"The complete destruction of the OZ."

"Is that why she needs the emerald?" There was another pause. "What are we going to do?"

"There is so much I would like to tell you. But… Azkadellia's eyes and ears are all over us now," the Mystic Man said.

"Ok. Tell me what you know…" there was a muffled sound.

The Mystic Man laughed. "The Gray Gale is a myth made up by the ancients to entertain their children."

We sighed at the old man. We stood and walked past the desk. "Time to change tack."

_Why waste cell space,_ the witch thought.

_We're going to kill him_, I asked. Then I realized I used the word 'we'.

_Yes. But there's something we have to do first. _She showed me the image of the little dog I remembered from my childhood.

_Tutor?_

_He's going to be a little spy for us. _

We walked down the dungeon path and into Tutor's cell. He looked up with blinking eyes. His eyebrows furrowed together in question.

"Long time no see," we said pleasantly.

"Azkadellia," he asked.

"A little order. A lot smarter and most definitely still in charge," we smiled.

"Nothing like a violent coo to win the hearts and minds of a kingdom," he said solemnly.

"Good. You still have a memory, that may be the only thing that can save you," we said walking closer to him. He stood.

"What do you want," he said like he held more power then us.

"What I want is the very thing you've devoted your feeble life to," we said tossing him the bag. He opened the bag and saw the memory coins. He flipped a coin over his fingers.

"Magic. Those who can't do teach. Remember?" I thought back to his teaching those many years ago. I didn't dwell on it.

"You freedom for you help."

"My help," he asked.

"Help DG find the Gray Gale. Then lead me to it," we said simply.

He looked down at the floor. I knew he didn't want to do this. He would not hurt the family he swore to protect. But freedom tastes sweeter then betrayal. He nodded.

"Good," and we left leaving Tutor to his thoughts on how he would get DG out. _Now we kill the Mystic Man._

I didn't say anything. There was that 'we' word again. We walked down the corridors to Mystic Mans cell, the long coats traveling not far behind. His cell door opened and we stepped in with a sigh.

"So eager to please the wrong sister," we said shaking our head.

"Azkadellia," the Mystic Man said slowly. "As I live and breathe… so far."

"I don't know which is more pathetic. You on the vapors or off," we said with an inward chuckle.

"Your sister is more powerful than you," he said smiling. The mention of my sister brought me to awareness of my actions. But I did not stop them.

"She will never be as powerful than me," we said. I knew that the witch's fear was in our eyes. The Mystic Man would see that.

"Then why are you so scared," he asked. He chuckled. The witch looked at him nervously and clenched her jaw. I was losing the connection I had to our body. Most of the actions were the witch's but I was in still in on it, if only a little. She brought her hand up to his mouth.

"I know you witch," he stuttered out.

"What do you know," she said. Then she pulled the soul from his body—whatever was left—and sucked it into her mouth. The same euphoric feeling came over us as last time. The feeling never changed, but only got better. Our servant helped us over the threshold of the cell. The witch stopped at DG's cell.

"Not so great and terrible after all, huh?"

DG's face stole me completely from my connection to our body. She was so scared and _I_ had helped put it there. I shied away from the witch and pushed myself into a corner and covered my head. The witch walked down the corridors and out of the dungeon. She walked up and up to her private office and went out onto the balcony.

She inhaled and let Zora free. "Keep track of DG and bring me back the memory coins," she asked petting her head. Her servant and a few long coats were working behind her, putting things in order for the coming eclipse.

"Are you going to work with me now," the witch asked me. I didn't answer. She sighed angrily and pushed me against the wall in her vice grip. Her grip tightened and untightened. I gasped for air gripping her wrist. "What's your answer now?"

"I will," I whispered. "I will… I will."

We pulled out of our conversation to see Zero gripping our servants' neck. "If she finds out!"

"Finds out what? That you are utterly incapable of putting one man in his grave," she said frustrated with Zero's incompetence.

"I shot him. Out a window and into a freezing lake. The man has nine lives," Zero said in his defense.

"He's not the only one," the witch said eyebrows lifting slightly. Zero's eyes shifted downward with fear.

Zora cooing came from behind us and we turned to see her landing on the railing of the balcony. "Zora," we sighed with relief at her being safe. She flung a memory coin at us. We touched it delicately like it held our life force. It did hold our key to the OZ.

"That's my girl," we whispered lovingly.

We walked back into the office and into the room adjoined with it. We set the coin into the slot and watched the image form in the tank of water. "She's heading south."

"My men will blitz the area immediately," Zero said.

"No they won't," we told him.

"You have them. Dead to rights and you don't want to take her?"

"No. I want her to lead me straight to the emerald," we said nodding in the direction of the tank.

Zero looked over at it with a question in his eyes. He walked to it slowly and saw Tutor's image in the tank. "You planted a spy," he said more statement then question.

"Just keeping an eye on her like any concerned big sister would," we said pleasantly. "I want you to shadow her. Don't get too close…. Think you can handle a little restraint, Zero?"

He said nothing just took the order and left. We watched him leave shaking our head. Then we stumbled and braced ourselves against the wall. "We need to sleep," I reminded her out loud.

She nodded and we began to walk to our room. Female servants were waiting in the room to help us out of our corset when we arrived. They removed the shoulder armor then unlaced the corset. Another laid out our sleepwear. They bowed their leave and took our clothes to the wash. We pulled the top on and allowed the silk arm slips to fall delicately over our arms and stomach. We lay down on the leopard print blanket and closed our eyes.

How much sleep are we actually going to get? The nightmares will be here soon. I'm too tired for that. But before I could think anymore I fell unconscious in our mind.

* * *

DG ran through the forest tears streaming down her face. She ran to mother who was reading on the small swing in the gazebo. Mother pulled DG into her lap and an arm around her shoulder. "DG what's wrong? You're shaking like a leaf," she asked.

"Az," DG whispered. "She fell and I let go." She buried her face in her mothers' bosom frightened.

The witch in my body walked up to the gazebo slowly. "What are you talking about? There's Az right there," mother said nodding in the witch's direction.

The witch looked menacingly at the mother and daughter.

I gasped awake and realized I had control over my body. It felt like the witch wasn't there at all. I looked around the room. It didn't seem familiar. I sat up and touched my face. It was me! But something… something wasn't right. I got up and went to the mirror looking at _my_ reflection. I looked closer and closer in the mirror. Then the witch's face appeared and she came to the surface. "What are you doing," she asked out loud in her scratchy voice.

I retreated back into the recesses of our mind. I rocked myself back and forth. _I was free… I was free… I was free._ I continuously repeated. _I WAS FREE!!_ I yelled at her.

_You will never be free from me._

Neither of us slept for the rest of the night. The witch drew back and I could feel myself moving our lips. All I could repeat was 'I was free'. Somewhere in our fog I could hear Zora flying from the open balcony. She flew in and dropped a branch in my lap. I stopped my mumbling and looked down. I took it in my hand. Flowers, from the fields of the papay? How is that possible? I looked up at Zora; she tossed me another memory coin. We looked at it. That's when I felt the witch's anger begin to simmer in our veins.

"Time to see mother again," we said in unison.


	6. Chapter 6

After we had gotten dressed we traveled to my mother's prison. I brought the flowers that Zora had brought me. She would enjoy them. We appeared before her and said nothing. We walked to her and handed her the flowers.

"I brought you a gift," we said softly. She took it and looked it over with wonder. We walked past her and stared over the calm water the island was surrounded by.

"Boca Novie. Once extinct in the fields of the papay," she said not really directing her sentence to me. "I thought I would never enjoy their fragrance again. I suppose something thought dead are not always so."

"Save your poetry for someone who cares," we whispered to her.

"What do you want," she asked as if she were not the one in prison.

We turned, "The little witch is connecting with her past."

She sighed with relief, "Then hope lives."

We walked closer. I wanted to touch her arm or her hair. I wanted to remember her the way she was when I was a child. But then I remembered that she believed I was no longer here and my thoughts turned bitter.

"And what about you Azkadellia? Perhaps DG is not the only one who needs to unlock her memories," she whispered.

Our eyes went wide and I turned my head to the side hoping she wouldn't see my hesitation. _Do you believe I'm here now, mother?_ I said to no one in particular. We took a sharp breath in and I regained my composure. "I'm only concerned with the future," we told her.

Mother turned to look at us and she shoved the flowers back in our hand. We looked down at the flower then up at her. "Then why are you here, talking to me? Why have you locked me away for all these years? Kept my hope alive?"

We both hesitated. My mother had those eyes. Those purple eyes that held you tight and would not let you tell a lie. I swallowed. "To see you face," I said with whole truth in my voice. "The day that hope dies," the witch added.

Our hand fell from hers and we looked at her from a stolid mask we put in place. She looked lost. We turned slowly and walked a few steps before we clapped out of the pitiful island.

Outside she felt a sudden movement of the floor she stood on. "They're testing the machine," the witch said.

We traveled down to ground level to be greeted by Raynz. "Sorceress," he said nodding.

"Is the machine working," we asked. He held out his hand in a gesture for us to go first. He followed next to us. As we entered the core of the machine I could see the other similarly dressed scientists working on powering the machine. We followed Raynz to his station where the whole of the machine was. He began very slowly. We worked over looking at the complicated machine.

"Calibrating the sequencing is a delicate process," he said as he twisted a knob.

"Will it work," we asked him not caring how the machine was run.

Her turned to moving a meter up. "It will work perfectly sorceress. You have planned well. And nothing will stand in your way," he said.

We smiled grandly, "I know."

"Sorceress," I turned to see my servant waiting for me.

"What?"

"Zora has just arrived," he said. I followed him up to the reading room and put the memory coin inside. In the tank there was an image of the crack in the OZ.

"They crossed the gorge."

"Why continue south? There's nothing there but wasteland and…" we both thought of something from the past. We turned away from the tank and whispered, "Finaqua."

"That's the first place you searched for the emerald, years ago," he said in question.

"Seems the light is helping the pure of heart," we frowned at such a thought.

"Zero awaits your orders. Should he ride to Finaqua," he asked.

"No," we said immediately. "Tell him not to get too close." He nodded his head and left. _So mother does have a plan_, I thought.

* * *

We walked slowly towards mother. She didn't move or flinch or even blink as we approached her. We stood directly beside her looking at her, but she dare not turn to face us.

"You've sent her into the heart of darkness mother," we said quietly. "Why Finaqua?"

"She needs to know what she's up against," she said proudly turning to stare us in the eyes. We walked away from her and clapped out. _DG will know who you are_, I told the witch.

_DG will still lose._

_I think you underestimate her_.

She chuckled. _We'll see about that._

Our servant followed us as we made our way back to our private office to wait for Zora. Then I sudden pain stabbed in our heart and we staggered backward and braced ourselves against the wall. "Sorceress," our servant cried holding our shoulder.

"Water," we could barely choke out. "Water."

"Yes! Right away!" He ran off around the corner.

We well slowly to the ground. We looked up at the sky whimpering and breathing hard. "Zora," we cried.

Then footsteps came around the corner and there he was with our water. We drank the water down delicately then forced the glass back in his hands. He helped us up and we went back to our office.

"Leave me," we said once we stepped over the threshold. He nodded and shut the doors. Once his retreating steps last echo's sounded the witch let out a terrible and piercing scream of anguish. _My Zora!_

I felt pain but not as deep as hers. I did not comfort her. I just left her to cry tears for a lost friend. Once she regained her composure we went out to the balcony. _Your dear sister will pay for her crimes!_

_You have lost one friend in these past 15 annuals and you say she will pay? _I laughed at her. _I can think of many others who have paid more terrible a price then you, hag!_

_Like you,_ she thought. _Isn't everything you've lost worth everything you've gained?_

Before I could answer there was another stabbing pain in our heart. This time it was worse. I thought _I _would die from it. I felt sadness and guilt wash over me and fill me to tears. An image of DG formed in my head. She was crying, crying for me. _DG!_

The witch said nothing. We both grieved, felt pain for someone we loved. After a while there was nothing left. The witch was ready to find the emerald and make the OZ forever hers. I promised to help her at a chance that I might help DG find a way to stop her. _Only for you DG._

"Excuse the interruption sorceress, but without Zora's reports Zero would like to know if you wish him to pick up the trail?"

"I will pick up the trail. MYSELF," we said in the utmost anger. Then we turned and walked out of the room.

"Have a small company of men and horses ready the moment I come down," We ordered our servant.

"Yes sorceress," he said and ran off in the opposite direction. After changing into riding clothes we walked to the balcony and opened up the wrap of our dress. Our pets flowed freely from our chest and into the sky.

"Find her!"

* * *

Alright readers. Next chapter will be the final one. Thanks for all of your reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

Hello readers! I'm sorry that this is a little late. I've been sick. But here it is and I hope you all enjoy it.

I know I enjoyed writing it!

* * *

Finaqua was far from the machine we had built. We mounted our grand stallion and began to ride east the long coats trailing behind us. Together we used our memories to wind our way through the dense forest. There was a hard and foul determination surrounding the witch's thoughts. I kept far away from her. The only thing going through my mind was DG. This ride gave me a chance to think a lot about the past. It was after all DG's fault that the witch possessed me. _"Your adventures have a way of getting me into trouble," I had said._ She didn't listen to me. And here we are. But I didn't' feel anger and I didn't remorse. I remember at one point I had, but the witch had feed on that anger and worsened it. What I felt was a distinct feeling of protection. That's what led me into the cave, my protection of DG. And that is what's scaring the witch, that I would do anything to keep DG from harm.

The witch looked ahead and felt a tug on her heart. Zora was close. She stopped her stallion and dismounted. Zora's body remained in a fetal position her lips hung open. The sorceress looked down at her dear friend. Her lower lip quivering as she held back tears.

"I'm sorry sorceress," the statement brought back her fury.

"Wait for me here," we said in a monotone. "I go into Finaqua alone."

We traveled up the left side of the fork in the road. This part of the forest was as familiar to us as the faces we saw in the mirror. We went down the small hill using the fallen trees as braces. The forest was darker then I remembered. Once we neared the dark place our stride became slower. We both shied away from the dark cave and the pictures that covered the outside wall. _How morbid_, the witch thought.

"You found the past little sister," I whispered. "What else have you found," said the sorceress. We went back up the small hill and went to the maze that would lead to Finaqua. Our stride grew as we walked farther and farther into the maze. When we appeared at the other side our eyes went wide. Finaqua was as beautiful as ever. The black trees that once covered the region were now gone.

We walked to the gazebo pushed reeds out of our way as we went. A small shallow pot took place of the swing. Our footsteps fell with a clunk on the wood. "You've brought Finaqua back," we stated in a whisper as if mother was close by. We looked at the lake and felt a memory creep into our head.

_It's perfect._ Our head turned and we saw the rock pile that protected the "perfect rock", was broken apart. _We'll save it, for the perfect day. _A scowl formed on our face and we slowly tilted our head back and closed our eyes. Magic flowed through our senses as we made time move backwards for the little rock. It came up out of the water and splashed along the water twice before flying back to us. We caught it with ease. The little heart shaped rock was still the same, still perfect. We tossed it on the water and it bounced seven times before it sunk to the bottom. A swirling noise came from behind us and we turned to see my mothers form in the pot. She was talking to DG and thought that we would never hear the message.

"DG. If you're seeing this message then you've over come much on your journey to find the emerald. The emerald of the eclipse contains the power to bring either light or darkness to the OZ. As you know now the evil witch of the dark lives inside your sister. Make haste now, south to realm of the unwanted. There you must find a man named Ahamo. He will help you on the final leg of your journey. To save the OZ, to the Gray Gale, to the emerald," she stopped speaking and disappeared.

I smiled to myself and together we shook our head, "very clever mother."

We needed to think. I needed to think. _Ahamo. Father._ _I can't believe he's still here._ I shook my head.

We walked along the shoreline of the lake. "Ahamo… Can't a man just abandon his family and stay gone," the witch said.

"Even the most hated outcast still yearns for redemption in his heart," I said I could hear the adoration in my voice, like when I was a child. I looked down at the reflection in the water. The witch held a different posture then I did. Her arms were held on her hips and a scowl on her face. My hands I held in front of me absently toying with a loose string.

"My mother and father planned this from the beginning didn't they? They know all about us don't they," I turned to the witch like I would my mother.

"They knew and they left you for dead," she said in her scratchy voice. She folded her arms across her chest and turned away. "I on the other hand will never leave you. THINK! Ahamo is a man weak of heart, blinded by emotion, nostalgic, sentimental," she named them off like they were diseases.

I turned my head to look at my old home. "He was so happy here," I said absently.

"That's it! There must be a trace we can follow," she looked around as if she could see above the waters edge. "DG's not the only one who can remember is she."

I walked back from the waters edge and felt the witch join me again. "Remember!" We took a deep breath. "Focus!" Another deep breath. We closed our eyes and were immediately met with a very vivid memory.

_DG!_ We jumped at the feeling of it. We closed our eyes to try and remember the rest of the memory. _I remembered young DG running towards me, joining me. She grabbed my hand and laced her fingers with mine. My young self leaned towards DG and whispered in her ear. A secret for sisters to share._ My eyes rolled into the back of my head. This memory gave me a heady feeling and left my body in ecstasy. _DG and I both had dolls and I remember we wanted to leave them for father. We ran towards his work cabin. That's where it is,_ I thought.

We strode to the cabin. The memory continued in my minds eye. _DG and I had entered the cabin and were looking for a place to leave our dolls. I noticed the stand a lantern was on and lifted it up. "Leave them here," I said. "He'll find them. When he comes back with mother." I placed the dolls on the stand. _I looked into the window as if I was watching myself from outside my body.

"_Do you think father will know they're from us," DG asked me. _

"_Well he told us to make something he could keep forever. And he taught us how to sculpt clay," I explained to her. _

"_What if they're touched with our magic," DG suggested._

"_Good idea," I smiled at her. _

_We put out our hands over the dolls and touched the head with the tips of our fingers, giving them a pinch of our magic. _I felt tears prick the corner of my eyes, but the witch caught them before they fell and she picked up our head.

"_Now he'll definitely know," I said to DG and we grinned. "C'mon!" And we ran out to play._

We walked to the door and it creaked open. I looked down at the dolls' place and saw they were gone. "Daddy," I whispered.

"You love that sappy little token of your daughters love didn't you," the witch said pushing my emotions aside. "I bet you still have it with you. Glowing bright as a beacon."

The witch smiled at her smart realization and she strode back to the waters edge. "Go find the glow," she told to her pets. She opened up the wrap and let them fly from our chest. "Find Ahamo!"

As her pets disappeared we began to make our way back to the company of men. I could see one of the mobats had already found something. A long coat helped us onto our horse and we followed her along side the coast of the lake. She led us to a tall pile of wood. We dismounted and went over to it looking down into what looked like a small makeshift apartment. There on a table were the two sister dolls and they still glowed with a small light.

"Oh daddy," we whispered. I felt a surge of hope run through my being.

We turned back to the men and gathered our horse's reins. "We will hide here," we said aloud. "She'll be here soon."

A servant took the reins from my hand and led the stallion to where he could graze. We stood behind a few trees and waited. Up in the sky the two suns were drawing closer to the moon. And just then a man appeared out of the pile of wood and he helped DG out of the hole. We grinned, turning to the horses. We mounted and paused to see how father would decide to travel to the Gray Gale.

DG walked on the gravel-covered beach a strange contraption in her hands. _What is she doing?_

_As long as she leads us to the Gray Gale it doesn't matter how she gets there,_ the witch thought to my comment.

She knelt down holding the thing in her hand. She looked frustrated. Father knelt beside her and said something to encourage her. As she focused on the contraption Ahamo left her side and went into the forest. A balloon was in the air, a basket holding father. DG looked up in wonder. She smiled and hurried into the basket with father.

It wasn't until they were high in the air that we began to follow them. The less they heard the more surprise that will be on their face. Seeing their reaction was the witch's only happiness.

We traveled through the night following the small shadow of the balloon. I could feel our heart start to beat faster at the thought of the emerald. Our eyes closed at the very thought that victory was ours as well as the OZ. Just as the suns began to rise over the mountains the balloon floated down onto a hill.

_The Gray Gale is there_, the witch told me. There was probably a mile between where they had landed and where we were. For the sake of time and sanity we pushed the horses faster.

Father and DG walked out of a door in the forest and ran to the balloon. We dismounted and waited just a second.

"It won't be long until the eclipse," father said. He turned to DG and smiled. "DG you are everything I hoped you'd be. I am so proud of you."

The horses neighed giving our presence away. We smiled he was such an emotional wreck. Father was shocked, his eyes wide. DG looked at me with the same frightened look she had as a child. Father moved in front of DG and took a few steps back.

" 'I'm so proud of you.' My little girl. 'You're everything I hoped you'd be.'" we spoke repeating his words. "Daddy. You old romantic."

With a sweep of our hand he was thrown 5 feet back and shrank down to just a few inches. We pulled him up from the ground and he landed in our palm. "Daddy… I've missed you so much," we said in such a daughterly tone. We looked at his small-terrified form and smiled devilishly. We clapped our hands together and he was gone trapped in a similar prison we put mother in. I was starting to get a little tired of everyone telling DG how 'good' she was.

DG's eyes were wide and her face lost its color. "What did you do to him," she asked.

"He's quite comfortable," we told her plainly. We held out our hand. "You have something for me."

DG took a few steps back and shook her head. "C'mon," we urged her. "You don't want to share your shiny new trinket with your big sister?"

"No," DG drew out the one syllable. "You're not my sister."

I felt a little anger seep from my being. The witch was not pleased either. Magic surged through our body and we pulled the emerald from DG's hand. The tiny emerald glowed in our hand. I was sure that our heart was going to stop. It was so perfect and all ours. The sorceress touched it and held it as if it were her child.

"It doesn't look like much… does it?" we said aloud speaking to ourselves. "But it has so much power."

I shuddered feeling the emerald surge through our body. It was so tempting. I tried hard to fight against it. _What are you fighting? We have what we want. Nothing else matters_, the witch spoke to me.

_No! DG! She's what matters!_

_The emerald is the only thing. Forget DG. Give in to it Azkadellia._ And I did.

"Greens not your color," DG said as she lunged for the emerald. We smiled and held out our hand choking her for just a few moments. She coughed when we let go.

"I thought you were dead little sister. Buried in the ground all these years," we said with some sincerity.

"You're not," DG wheezed.

"No. It's where you belong. You look good in marble. Green marble," we smiled and waved our hand over her body sending her somewhere she would never get out.

We turned to face the men. "It's nearly time," we said and mounted our horse. We didn't wait for the men, we urged our stallion into a strong gallop and went back to the castle.

Raynz waited at the entrance for us. "Get the machine ready," we said and walked past him. He nodded and left. We went up winding stairs into our private rooms. My servant walked in and waited for an order.

"Take the emerald and have it put in a necklace," we said hesitatingly handing him the emerald. "Be careful!"

"Yes sorceress," he said holding the emerald in two hands.

We closed the door and began to change into the outfit that would help channel the emeralds power. The outfit we would wear when the OZ became dark. Forever. Once the girls who had helped me into the outfit left we went onto the balcony where in the very middle a platform had been setup to channel the machine's energy along with the emeralds. We walked past it to the very edge of the balcony.

Our eyes closed and meditated on our very close future. "So many years," the witch said aloud.

"And you've finally gotten what you wanted," I finished for her.

"What _we_ wanted," she corrected. Then we were silent and listened to the wind. Soft footsteps came behind us. The servant I sent off earlier came in with a precious box holding the emerald necklace. He opened the box carefully and avoided eye contact keeping his eyes down. We turned to look at the box.

We still could not believe its power or the fact that it was in our possession. The same euphoric feeling that we had when we stole a soul went through us now. It made my head spin and it was difficult to breath normally. We reached out and took the chain and lifted the emerald out of the box. It shone brightly. We sighed with contentment.

"History's about to be repeated," we spoke together. "And this time I'll get it right," the witch said on her own. We continued to stare at the emerald as the servant left. I knew our eyes were filled with the shine of the emerald. We slipped it over our head letting the chain fall at the back of our neck and the emerald fall against our bosom. We held our head high and smiled. The suns were falling closer and closer to the moon. "It's almost time."

"Let's go say hi to mother," I said. She was waiting in another room where we wanted her to watch as the OZ fell into everlasting darkness. I also thought she would like to see father again. But now I couldn't even remember feeling sentimental.

Long coats opened the door as we took small strides into the room one hand over the emerald at all times. Mother turned slowly at our entrance. "Oh! Don't you look pretty," we grinned at her. "Good thing, because I brought you a date."

Behind me the Long coats brought in Ahamo. Mother took in a sharp breath and she sighed her eyes starting to fill with tears. Ahamo rushed to her. "Is it really you?"

They looked at each other with utter adoration. "I've been dreaming of this day," Ahamo said.

"I love you," mother replied just before they shared a passionate kiss. Our lip went up in a snarl of disgust. And I could feel my rage towards them begin to build up further.

"Enough," I scoffed at them. We walked towards my parents and stopped just a few short feet away. Our hand dropped from the emerald and it began to shine again. My mother breath came in short gasps and her eyes wide. Father's jaw set in a tight line and shied away from us.

"Do you know how long I've waited to see that look on your face," we told mother. Tears began to brim our eyes and this time neither one of us tried to stop them. "No phony smile. No brave front. Just pure and utter _shock_! It may be the most honest gift you've given me mother." I added the last part out of anger.

"I am not your mother," the queen said shaking her head. I could see her holding back tears.

Ahamo shook his head as well and sadness filled his eyes. "Our daughter is really gone?"

"Both of your daughters are gone," I told them without the witch's help. We turned our head away from them so I could hide the tears I was creating. _I don't feel for you… anymore_ I thought.

Mother's tears fell now. "DG is dead!"

"Your little girls quest has ended," we stated simply. "As your royal line ends today. In darkness. Permanent. Darkness."

"Sorceress. The eclipse," a servant said. We turned our head and nodded. We looked at my grieving parents one last time before we turned and left.

"Go to Raynz. Tell him so start the machine," we said and the servant was off. We waited on the balcony. Up in the sky the suns were starting to become covered by the moon.

We stood at the base of the platform on the balcony. "I want no interruptions once it begins. After 500 years I want this moment to be… perfect."

"Forward light pulses are at 100 percent. All we need now is power," Raynz said his voice crackling from the radio.

We turned to face the front of the balcony and lifted our arms as if the entire OZ was watching. _We are the rulers now_, we said to them. There was an explosion at the west wall and we smiled when there was a second one at the south wall. "The resistance is giving me a fireworks display," we giggled.

Down below the long coats were scrambling like little ants trying to find the source of the explosions. We could hear a few more loud booms come from the other side of the machine. We ignored them and walked onto the platform. Our magic was beginning to run like a wildfire in our veins. _It's time. _

"Let it begin," we said.

A beam of green light appeared out of the platform only a few seconds later. We stood and focused on pointing the energy at the moon. I couldn't begin to explain this power. It was beyond the power of good and evil something so strong it broke the binds of the natural world.

"Azkadellia," a small voice said. DG stood in front of the platform. "There's still time to stop this!"

"Look up," we told her. "The power of the emerald is about to lock the eclipse in the sky and bring permanent darkness to the OZ. A fierce new world is awakening."

DG shook her head. "No! Listen to me my sister! This is not what you want!"

Me, just me looked down at DG. I was almost convinced but the witch pulled me back. _Remember who protected you!_

"Your sister is dead," she spoke for me with her own scratchy voice.

"No," DG said. She tried to get on the platform but the witch raised her arms and pushed her away and she flew off the balcony. _The emerald is our future. Your sister is the past. Leave it be. _

I nodded and pushed my energy with hers. Then the beam began to fade and go on and off like a flickering lamp. We looked down. "Why are we losing power," we yelled.

_This moment was supposed to be perfect!_

_Calm yourself! I'm sure power will be on in a second._ Then just as if I willed it to the beam was solid light and shooting straight at the moon. We sighed relieved. And soon we watched as the OZ was darkened.

"Finally. Permanent darkness… It's over," we sighed looking at the purple moon. "I won."

"Two little princesses dancing in a row," a soft voice began to sing. We looked down to see DG climbing back over the stone railing of the balcony.

"Spinning fast and freely on their little toes. Where the light will take them no one ever knows," she continued throwing herself over the railing. Once she was safely on the ground she sang, "two little princesses dancing in the wind. Spinning fast and freely on their little toes. Where the light will take them no one ever knows. Two little princesses dancing in a row."

I shook my head back and forth unsure of what was going on. I looked her up and down as I remembered mother singing me the nursery rhyme when I was little. The witch was beginning to feel a chill crawl up her spine as she realized what she was doing.

"Do you remember that time at the cave? When you remembered what all those symbols meant," she asked her voice cracking from held back tears.

I remembered. _"It's the picture language of the ancients," I had said._ The memory echoed through my head. I looked around trying to avoid eye contact with DG. _No… This was me. Wasn't it?_

" 'Your adventures have a way of getting me into trouble' that's what you said. 'Your adventures have a way of getting me into trouble'," DG repeated tears falling down her cheeks.

My eyes went wide at the memory. _I was protecting you DG._

_STOP! She left you for dead. I'm still here. Still your friend._ The witch told me.

DG began to crawl slowly towards the platform. "Do-do you remember my spinning doll? How we—how we made it fly together? Concentrate," she was telling me.

"_Just concentrate Deeg," I told my little sister holding her hand. _I remember DG's smile when that doll went flying. It was so bright. I began to smile before the witch caught me and turned it into a frown.

_Forget her! _The witch yelled.

DG continued to crawl closer like a child. "And do you remember the bear? How scary it was and you stood up. You were so brave. It made me want to be brave!"

Our lower lip began to tremble as I tried to smile and the witch tried to frown. I remembered that. Yes! _"Just hold my hand Deeg. Just hold my hand! Nothing can hurt us if we stay together," I told her._ The bear had scampered away I recall. The corner of my mouth went up.

DG stood and held out her hand. "Hold my hand, nothing can hurt us if we're together," she cried.

The witch's fury at me and my sister kept me from taking her hand. In our mind she was choking the life out of me. _We were going to share this Azkadellia. But now I see what a mistake you are!_

I scratched at her hand and tried to pull away from her and reach for DG. Her face was contorted in anger as DG held out her hand. "Take it! Take it! Take my hand," she begged me. I looked down at her hand and suddenly we were our old selves from a time when I was just me.

"I'm sorry I let go Az," young DG apologized. My young self looked down in confusion and anger, tears brimming her eyes. I looked up at DG's eyes my lips quivering.

"I'm scared," I told her.

"I'm here! And I'll never run away again! Take my hand," she cried hearing my voice. She pushed her hand closer to me.

I cried. The muscles in my arms were flexing but the witch held me back with a crushing force. "No!" The witch yelled changing to her true form for a moment before changing back to me. "You're talking to the wind girl!"

"Take my hand," DG ordered, her voice strong.

Tears came faster now as I fought harder and harder against the witch. _I need to do this_, I told myself. I pushed my energy into my hands. _Grab her hand!_

"No," the witch yelled at DG.

"Take my hand," the young DG said. I cried looking down at it. My hand started to move just ever so slightly and I kept pushing forward.

_You were wrong witch. I don't need you. You need me. And I feel sorry for you. _Then my hand touched DG and a light began to glow, brighter then even the emerald. And there was pain. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth as the witch was pulled from my being. I felt the tattoos on my chest press into my skin and burn like fire.

My body changed from the witches to mine and we both screamed in agony. DG gave one hard tug and pulled me from the witch. I tripped over the platform but DG caught me. The witch was in shock from the pain but she recuperated in a flash.

"Have the little bitch! I care not. For the heavens do my bidding," she said triumph in her voice as she looked up to the sky. She noticed that the beam coming from the machine was no longer green. The witched looked down and saw that the emerald was not on _her_ body, but that it was on Azkadellia's.

"The emerald," she croaked. "Give me the emerald!"

I touched the emerald with my free hand and shook my head. I could feel our bond grow and the light brighten.

"Give me the emerald," the witch said as she began to grow in size and she yelled in rage. "Give me the emerald!"

I looked up at the witch and my eyes widened. I squeezed DG's hands tighter, "Hold on!"

"I'm not going anywhere," DG replied.

I could see the witch's hands begin to glow and then fire shot out of her hands at DG and I. But our magic created a force field and her magic was stopped before it could get to us.

"I won't let go," DG said to me. I licked my lips nervously. The witch's magic kept pushing down on the force field but it never passed through. Somewhere in the back of my mind I could feel the witch's fury even though we were in two separate bodies. It still burned.

"Hold on," I told DG.

The witch's fire stopped in a second and she yelped in pain. The light from the machine was dimming and the witch was down sizing. Where her feet would be was a puddle that grew in size as she fell down. And then she was gone.

DG and I looked down at the black pile of ooze. I was speechless. The witch was gone. _I'm free_, I told myself. _I'm finally free._

"She melted," Dg stated. We turned to face each other. DG's blue eyes sparkled and she held her arms out for a hug. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her. I closed my eyes and held her tight. _I'm free_, I sighed. We let each other go and turned to look up at the moon. The suns would come back. I knew it. We walked back to the room where I had left mother and father.

I opened the door and walked slowly into the room. My gaze went from the floor to my parents. Mother stayed in her place. I could see the same shock on her face as before but this was a much happier shock. Father walked towards me. He knew it was me, his eyes showed it. I smiled shyly and looked at my dad.

"My Azkadellia," my mother said bracing herself against the wall. "Is it really you?"

She sighed. My father embraced me and pressed his lips to my forehead. "The witch is gone… It's over," I whispered. I hugged him back. It felt good to be loved again.

"DG!" my mother called as DG entered the room. DG ran to mother and they hugged each other tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

My mother cried and I could see silent tears fall down DG's face. "Welcome home," my father said to me.

We walked over to mother and DG. And we hugged as a family. DG left our little group when her friends entered the room. She smiled at them. Together we went out onto the balcony to await the suns to shine on the OZ. I stood next to mother and DG stood next to father.

Then the moon moved and light shined more brightly on the OZ then ever before. We all smiled simultaneously.

"That's the OZ I remember," DG said softly. "I'm so glad to be home."

The thought hit me. _I was home. _


End file.
